Chargers beaten by Raiders run, but also on a few pass plays

Given everything else that had gone on in the previous three and a half quarters, it seemed a most ridiculous notion, to think that the Chargers essentially and ultimately were beaten by a couple of pass plays. When a team runs over and around you for 251 yards and three touchdowns, your biggest problem isn’t pass defense.

In fact, though, two critical pass-coverage plays involving cornerbacks Antoine Cason and Quentin Jammer led to the game-clinching touchdown in a 28-13 loss to the Oakland Raiders.

Despite the way Oakland's ground attack had rambled all over the field at Qualcomm Stadium, the Chargers actually were the team with the momentum, having just pulled within a touchdown and two-point conversion of a fourth-quarter tie. Instead, the Raiders got the TD, partially because Cason was flagged for defensive holding to keep the drive alive and partially because Jammer was victimized on a 37-yard pass play to put Oakland inside the 10-yard line.

Desperate to keep the ball away from Philip Rivers, the Raiders had a third-and-seven at their own 41 with 8:20 remaining in a 21-13 game. Jason Campbell's pass was good for only four yards, and the tackle was made by Cason, but Cason was called for earlier grabbing and twisting around receiver Darrius Heyward-Bey on the same play.

“Of course, I didn’t like the call,” said Cason. “I can’t say too much about it, but I didn’t like it.”

“(Cason) played it perfect,” said safety Eric Weddle. “He’s in cover-two, he’s forcing (the receiver) to me and he did it perfectly. I don’t see how you make that (holding) call, but he did.”

The play covered only four yards, but it gave a first down to the Raiders, and it had a deflating effect on the Chargers.

“That’s the hard part,” said Weddle. “You get it down to eight (points) and stop ‘em and get the penalty. That’s just tough, to have a stop, then it’s not a stop and you have to start all over again. Emotionally, it drains you. It’s tough to bounce back, but as professionals, we’re supposed to bounce back. We’re supposed to overcome that kind of thing.”

To that point, the Raiders had thrown for just 80 yards. The way they’d been running the ball, why bother with the forward pass, let alone a deep ball? Especially after they’d twice gone for it on fourth downs and successfully converted via the run.

Which is why, with Oakland now facing a third-and-one at the San Diego 46, the Chargers clearly were thinking run. Jammer refused to be interviewed after the game. Weddle took the blame himself, saying he’d been stationed inside the box to protect against the run and left Jammer alone on wideout Louis Murphy, who caught the ball at the nine-yard line.

“That’s as much on me as anyone else,” said Weddle. “Jam normally would be expecting me back there on post. They took me off post to get me in the run fit and I didn’t communicate it back to Jam that I wasn’t going to post. That was a big play in the game and I take full responsibility.”